Liya Sulcas - Dvar Torah

DVAR TORAH: Poverty and strangers

Exodus 21:1 – 24:18 [p. 511 in the Chumash]

My Torah portion is Mishpatim, which is in the book of Exodus.

It talks about many different things. In fact, the meaning of the word ‘mishpatim’ is rules.

These are mostly rules the Torah gives us about human interaction – everything from laws on worship, slavery, and injuries or damages to others, to laws about property and moral behaviors. For example, “When a fire is started and it spreads to thorns or grain, the one who started the fire must compensate for the loss of their crop.”

The purpose of these laws is so that we can create a moral and just society. Mishpatim also includes God’s instructions about the Jewish people observing festivals, … the feast of unleavened bread (Passover), the feast of Harvest (Shavuot) and the feast of Ingathering (Sukkot).

There are a few sections that appeal to me in Mishpatim that I wanted to talk about today, which are those that discuss interactions with vulnerable people – such as not oppressing the poor or homeless, and protecting the stranger. There is one line in Mishpatim that says if you borrow your neighbor’s garment of clothing for the day, you must give it back to them before sunset, on the assumption that it’s the only piece of clothing they have to sleep in.

This line reminded me of all that Mishpatim talks about regarding homelessness because many times I have witnessed homeless people on the street, and it looks like the clothes they are wearing are the only pieces of clothing they have. [This makes me think harder about the difficulty of some people’s lives compared to mine]

Another line that appeals to me talks about how we must not wrong, oppress, or judge  strangers since we were all strangers in the land of Egypt (when the Jewish people were slaves there). It makes me think about how most days we might not think about it or realise it, but we think badly or talk badly about people we don’t know properly – which means you are judging them without knowing their situation fully.

The batmitzvah – and my batmitzvah – is about becoming a Jewish adult, becoming a part of the Jewish community, and taking on more responsibilities. For me, it’s also about starting to lead the life I want to lead, in terms of morality, integrity, and respect for each other and ourselves. This connects to my Study Text, which talks about life with and without integrity, and to my Batmitzvah “Mitzvah” which is my project to demonstrate my good intentions as a Jewish adult.

For my Mitzvah project, I have chosen to donate blood every year once I turn 16, which is the minimum age you have to be to do this. I’m doing this partly to show respect for my family, because we have been affected by a blood-related illness, which has made me very aware that there are many people in the world who very often need blood donations. Did you know that when you donate blood your single donation can save up to 3 lives? So, if you have not already, please consider also donating. The Western Cape blood service now regularly comes to Temple Israel to make this possible.

Coming back to Mishpatim, another reason why I have chosen to donate blood when I’m old enough (and promote blood donation until then) connects to the values of caring for strangers and being concerned for their wellbeing, even though I don’t know them personally.

Because I’m only allowed to donate blood in a few years, I will do a short-term Mitzvah where I volunteer with an organization that helps feed the homeless.

This is my way of becoming a responsible and caring member of the Jewish community and any community I may live in.

I found a quote I really love from Helen Keller's brother James that expresses a lot of what I’ve been trying to say today: “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle”. Which I interpret to mean, you don’t lose anything by helping someone else – actually you’re just making more light.

I wish you all Shabbat Shalom.